Creating ways for them to express themselves is key. Adding a feelings chart and showing their physical responses to emotions to them will help them recognize their feelings in a way that will pay itself forward for the future. Asking them for ideas on how to aid their coping or to help ease the tension they feel from these emotions and… Read more

Self care is crucial. Friends who will listen to a gentle vent or just treating yourself or taking a break. Protect yourself and take care of yourself. You will not be effective as a teacher or friend if you yourself are significantly struggling. If the effects are more severe, pursuing therapy is never a bad idea.

At the end of the day it is always about trust. Playing with a child and asking them genuine questions about their ideas will build up the trust you need to respond to the exchanges they need. Listen to them, talk to them, help them problem solve and communicate effectively and their resiliency will grow.

Music and deep breaths are my go-tos for stressful moments. Focusing on lyrics I know, along with my own breathing, provides familiarity in what may be a foreign or discomforting situation.

Individual connection is key, though difficult to implement. Plan ahead to give children time with you where they can share what is going on in their lives if they wish. Eating with the children at lunchtime is a good way to build connections when teaching is not strictly occurring, at least in the eyes of the children.

Absolutely, I think especially when our judgement as teachers may be mildly impaired, such as after a poor night’s rest or difficult news, we may struggle to accurately place goals for children. Having written guidelines to fall back on in these times of mental fog will be important in ensuring we do not accidentally establish poor expectations… Read more

A single level mattress that is firm to prevent squishing inward, with very small gaps such that they cannot fit limbs through.

Ensuring that there are two physical activity periods where children can move in structured and unstructured play is key to their success. Making games out of these time periods can make it fun, rather than exercise. Feeding them healthy food is key to helping their body grow strong when coupled with this exercise.

Using games, songs, and rhyming schemes helps children remember healthy habits. Using pictures and fun shapes for food items can also increase their participation.

I would show them how we store medication, how we sanitize and where we keep those supplies, our emergency plans and supplies, our exits, and our outside areas and their security.

Speaking first to a lead or a director is a smart idea so you can find out if this line of questioning has been had for this child before. Regardless of it has or not, work with your lead to make the call and always dial CPS if you suspect something is wrong. You are protecting yourself as a teacher just as much as you are protecting the child.

By far my greatest worry is that something negligent happens in my care, or a child is injured because of my actions. With this in mind, remaining hypervigilant is important to me.

Trust is what we strive for as teachers, and creating it is the ultimate goal. People value transparency; if something is wrong, it should be brought to their attention using kind and appropriate conversation tools to help (the sandwich technique). After a baseline of trust has been created, maintaining it should also be a priority. Continuing… Read more

1. That my child is given proper attention and supported in his learning2. That their environment is safe on a mental and physical level3. That they have a dedicated, primary teacher who is truly passionate about them

One of the best things you can do as a teacher of young children is asking questions. Rather than supplying an answer to a question, do your best to guide children to the answer themselves. This encourages their development as learners, where they build confidence in their ability to think for themselves, rather than solely absorb the… Read more

Often, the schedules of a early learning classroom are built on dichotomies, on opposites, by design. Quiet play is followed by active play, child-led learning is followed by teacher-led learning, and inside play will be followed by outside play. This balance keeps children satisfied and prevents a buildup of energy or a lull in the day. It… Read more

Of the many moving parts of a learning environment, I believe design elements that encourage autonomy to be especially important. This includes cubbies so that children can feel a sense of belonging, that there is literally a place just for them in the classroom, as well as clearly separated active and quiet areas so children can move… Read more

Having a coworker nearby to help ease the family into open conversation is a good idea. Breaking news and observations slowly while stressing you have then child’s best interest in mind will help put both of you on the same page. Ensuring they know it is not a problem yet, and rather, a warning, will likely increase their chances of cooperation.

By not just observing but also documenting, providers can prove a crucial role in providing a tailor-made education to each child and ensuring that not just they, but future educators after them, can understand how to best help a child. The more documentation, the better, as children are just as complex as adults and they should be treated… Read more

At a daycare I believe it should not be done, frankly. Best leave that decision to parents and avoid conflict. I don’t wholly disagree that an hour a day of positive and educational content like Bluey for example could yield benefits, but again, that is up to the parent.

One of the biggest steps to ensuring a serve and return environment is possible is guaranteeing that each child has time with the caregiver and can make their serves comfortably and safely. Children may be more reluctant to serve if they are stressed or overstimulated, so keeping them calm and making time to acknowledge their babbling and… Read more

First asking why she is late from a place of understanding would establish good rapport. From there, it would be best to explain the policies regarding late stays and how legally we cannot keep the child for too long after school. Discussing social consequences is also wise, that the child may feel wrong or outed for not being picked up on… Read more

WAC 110-300-0160 emphasizes diverse practices through encouraging various kinds of music in several languages, mixed media which shows different bodies and peoples without enforcing stereotypes, and redirecting bias language in both children and adults. WACs seem to stress an absolute necessity in meeting the kinds of diverse education… Read more

Immediately it is clear that the WACs are the holy grail of information for childcare services. In that way I am not surprised by their comprehensiveness and am grateful such a body of information exists, both for the sake of learners like myself as well as the general public who trusts such measur w to keep their children safe.